A NORTH Wales bobby was spotted using his mobile phone as he drove a police van along the A55.

Andrew Mark Dunn, 44, was fined £90 and ordered to pay £30 costs after pleading guilty to using a mobile phone while driving.

Dog handler Pc Dunn did not appear in person before Llandudno magistrates yesterday and gave his address as care of the Police Federation, Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay.

Diane Williams, prosecuting, said council worker Philip Bailey, of Llandudno Junction and his colleague, were driving a Ford Transit van west bound along the A55 near Mochdre just before 5pm on December 6 when his passenger noticed Mr Dunn, who was wearing a police issue mobile phone headset, appearing to text on a hand-held mobile phone, while driving a police Ford Escort van.

She said the council workers believed the policeman was texting and typing characters which were seen moving on the phone's blue display.

They made a note of his registration number.

Mrs Williams said Mr Dunn was interviewed by police after Christmas.

"He confirmed he made a phone call and that he made that call to a colleague," she said..

Pc Dunn wanted to tell the colleague he was held up in traffic.

Mrs Williams said: "Mr Bailey said he was surprised by the actions of the officer because he himself had received a memo from his work saying that fines had increased from £30 to £60 for using a mobile phone and that it would be a disciplinary offence."

Mrs Williams read out a letter from Pc Dunn's solicitor saying his client was driving back to the North Wales Police police kennels after a training session.

The solicitor said Pc Dunn was using a police issue mobile phone with a "blue tooth" earpiece and that he was stationary or moving slowly because of rush-hour traffic caused by road works.

The letter said Pc Dunn used his police mobile phone to call a colleague to warn him about the hold-up.

It added that Pc Dunn had suffered "extreme embarrassment" because of the incident and he was "extremely sorry".

The letter also claimed it was "highly unlikely" that a civilian driver would have been inter-viewed in similar circumstances. The solicitor argued it was only because of his occupation that he was noticed and he was in stationary traffic, not causing any danger to the public.

Pc Dunn was described as an advanced police driver with a clean licence. He was given 28 days to pay.

A North Wales Police spokesman said: "The force's professional standards body will be reviewing the court papers before coming to a decision regarding any disciplinary measures."